The Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is to sell the rights to its Ingara developmental synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to the Melbourne based RLM Systems, a Lockheed Martin/Tenix Defense Systems joint venture.
DSTO officials say contract negotiations should be finalised early next month. RLM's win is by default after a proposed rival bid by Thomson-CSF Detexis, teamed with ADI, fell through.
Ingara cost A$10 million ($5.9 million) to develop but is internationally regarded as being a generation behind similar radar systems being marketed by companies such as Raytheon, DaimlerChrysler Aerospace and Thomson-CSF Detexis. However, Ingara does contain unique software algorithms enabling it to be used as a maritime surveillance sensor as well as operating in SAR mode.
DSTO is integrating a similar maritime surveillance capability into the Raytheon HISAR aboard the Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle, under a $20 million deal negotiated by the Australian and US governments last year,
The Australian Army has used Ingara to support a two year SAR trial as part of concept verification trials for its Joint Project 129 airborne surveillance project.
DSTO previously attempted to commercialise the radar through an open tender process in the mid-1990s, but failed to attract any serious bidders.
Source: Flight International
